Commentary on the Old Testament Volume 2-4, Biblical commentary 7 · Isaiah · Chapter 6
CHAP. VI.
IN the year of the death of ƲVzziah, I saw the Lord sitting, &c. Some, saith Calvin, Vers. 1. Calvin.conjecture the Prophecy to begin here, because the Lord now first shewed himself unto him, which in reason should be at the first to prepare the Prophet the better to the execution of his office, and because he now first begins to tremble at his Prophetical calling, being so unclean, and God so pure vers. 5. which he would doubtless have done before, had the Lord before imployed him in this work. Therefore they think, that the Prophecies preceding are set out of order. But he answereth, that Isaiah might at the first be only spoken to, and not till afterwards have a Vision, as the Apostles did see more afterwards then at the first: and having no Vision before of such astonishing glory, no marvel, though he were now first stricken. And that the Prophecie began before appears, because Chap. 1. 1. he began to prophecie in the dayes of ƲVzziah, but this was after his death, a new King coming on, against the fear of whom he might he confirmed hereby to go on with courage. But how is he said to have seen the Lord, seeing he is invisible? Sol. He saw a sign of his divine Majesty, whereby he knew certainly, that God was in a special manner there: because he never sheweth any fallacious signs, as Image-makers do: his sitting upon a Throne and on high, was to set forth his royal Dignity, excelling farre that of earthly Kings. His hinder parts filled the Temple, to shew him to be that God, to whose honour the Temple was built, to cause the more awfull regard in the people to this Prophecie. Jerom here notes, that ƲVzziah was a Leper, Hieronym.and smitten with the leprosie in the Temple, whereby it was polluted. Therefore till was dead God appeared not there any more, but now he shews Note. himself in such manner as best pleased him, to intimate, that a polluted King is so displeasing to God, that Gods favour is not towards his Church where he reigneth, till that by death he hath taken him away. The word foreign fimbriae ejus, is by the LXX rendred, His glory; by Theodotion and Symmachus, Quae sub pedibus ejus erant; by Jerom, Quae sub ipso erant; he appeared then on high, and the skirts of his garments only in the Temple filling it. And this Lord was God the Son, for to him this is by John applied, saying, Isaiah spake Joh. 12. 48.of him, when he saw his glory. Thus most of the Ancients, holding that all times when God is said to appear, God the Son is meant, and those Apparitions were a Preludium of his Incarnation. Yet some understand God the Father, and some the whole Trinity, but the first is most probable. Touching the year wherein ƲVzziah died, some understand hereby the year, in which he was smitten with Leprosie, because then he was dead civilly; some granting his natural death to be meant, hold yet that he was not dead when Isaiah had this Vision, but that he died in that year; but the first is best for the reason before-going; the leprous King was dead, and so Gods anger, whereunto he was stirred by him, as the head of that people, was over, and he began again to shew some token of his favour. And he appears as need then required in kingly Majesty, that the wicked who contemned his judgments might hereby be stricken with the more terrour, and so be reduced to obedience.
And Seraphims standing above, foreign from above; that is, somewhat lower Vers. 2.as he appointed to minister to him. Those translations therefore, which have it, above him, or above it, as the vulgar Latine, give needlesly occasion to enquire how it can be so said, sith the servant is not in station above his Lord or his Throne: for being rendred word for word according to the Hebrew, the sense is good and without all question, as it is here given. The Lord then appears not without his attendants standing before him ready at his beck to execute his will. And they are spoken of here onelyonly as many in the Plural, but Dan. 7. and 10. they are said to be thousand thousands that minister to him, yet not Seraphims, but Angels. The Seraphims have their name from burning, 1. Because they burn with the love of God. 2. Are swift as fire to do his will. 3. Shine as fire, so Oecolampadius: And the same are sometime called Angels, Oecolamp.that is, Messengers, sometime Seraphims, that is, burning ones, although Dionysius distinguisheth them from other Angels, as being more inflamed through their nearness to the throne of God. Some think that these Seraphims were only two, and will have the Son and holy Ghost set forth hereby, as in the Sanctum Sanctorum were two Cherubims: but this is a vain conjecture, and because it puts an inequality betwixt the persons of the Trinity, to be abhorred, Ezek. 1. 5. Four Animals or living creatures appear, to represent the Angels attending upon God, and these are held to be the Cherubims, another order of heavenly Angels, and Ezek. 10. 1, 2. they are so called. And it is to be noted, That the Seraphims stand, God sitting, whereupon Bernard censures Lucifer, noting it Isa. 14. Bernard. Tuhabuisti miser lucem, sed ardorem non habuisti. Bonum fiusset tibi, si…gnifer magis fuisses quam Lucifer.to be the cause of his ejectment out of Heaven, that he would set his throne besides the throne of God, telling him, that he had only one property of the Seraphims, viz. to shine, but not that of burning with the love of God, and therefore now he burns in hell, and is foul and ugly, and without all shining. Six wings had one, the wings of the Angels serve to shew their swiftness in executing Gods will. But yet they have each one two only for this end, and two to cover their face, to shew the brightness of Gods glory to be such, that they cannot with open face behold it: yet it is not to be conceived that they cover the whole face with their wings, but so much as that the dazling lustre of that excessive brightness might not confound them, but yet they may see their Lord, and be ready at his beck. A notable Embleme of a right Minister of God, who must be prompt and ready, and flie as with wings about the work of his Ministry, burning alwayes with holy zeale through the love of God. Yet his carriage must be reverent towards the Lord, and he must be content to acknowledge his ignorance of many things, and that they are covered from him, medling only with those that are revealed. The two wings to cover the Deut. 29. 29.Seraphs, are from such as are under them, viz. mortal men, and serve to shew, That we are as unable to behold the brightness of an Angel, as an Angel that infinite glory of the Lord. Wherefore both Daniel and John were so stricken at such an appearance, that they fell down as dead, all their strength being dissolved through fear. Wherefore the best amongst men ought to think themselves poor, infirm creatures, and behave themselves accordingly towards God, who is so glorious: thus almost Calvin. But in a far different manner Calvin. Hieronym.Jerom, Illi sex alae, & sex alae alteri, foreign not being expounded with foreign but to the six wings, as in the translation mentioned; wherefore I marvel why Jerom hath it super illud, when as the word signifieth nothing but desuper, and the Septuagint, in circuitu ejus; if the particle signifying illi be left to go with six wings, as it must, or else the sense will be imperfect. Jerom, I say, expounds the Seraphs covering his face with two of his wings, and with two his feet, as spoken of his covering Gods face and feet, because the Hebrew particle foreign may as well have reference to God, as to the Cherub. And hereof he makes an excellent Allegory thus, The face of God setteth forth things past before the beginning of the world, his feet things to come after this world ended: both these covered then serve to shew the concealing of such things from us, those only being set forth for us to know, which shall, or have come to passe within the compasse of the time of this world, which was made in six dayes, to signifie which either of them hath six wings, the two to flie with do not only serve to set forth their readiness, but their abode in Heaven above, as the proper place of their residence. Cyril agreeing with Jerom in their covering of Cyril.Gods face and feet, expounds it as shewing Gods eternity both à parte ante, and à parte post, to be incomprehensible. Rupertus the conjunction or union of Rupert.Christs Divinity and humanity to be a most hidden Mystery. Chrysostom differs not from Calvin, saving that, whereas Calvin by their covering their feet, Chrysost.understands the inability of men upon earth to endure the sight of their glory, he, their being ashamed, that God should see the imperfection of their affections, (set forth by their feet) towards him. And to me this of Chrysostom seems to be best, because if there were many Seraphins about Gods throne, as doubtless there were thousands, it cannot be conceived, how each one with his two wings should cover his face alike, and with two his feet, unlesse by covering their own faces, his face being hid from them, and his feet also not being open to theirs, because theirs were covered. And if covering be referred to both this way, none of these Allegories are impertinent, but may well stand together. By covering their feet the Hebrews use to set forth not properly or particularly the feet, but the nether parts, which we are ashamed should be seen, being for this called Pudenda, this therefore sheweth, That the very Angels, which are so glorious, are not without all blemish before the most High, or at the least in humility acknowledge it, how much more then should the holiest amongst men? Moses by Gods direction made two Cherubims in the most holy place, the sign of Gods presence, extending their wings over his Mercy-seat, for which it is said, God dwels between the Cherubins; here the Seraphins, which may be conceived to be an higher order of Angels, and those many, appear, not with two wings, as they were figured, but with six, which plainly intimates a distinction according to Dionysius, who makes nine Dionys. caelest. hierarch. See Expos. upon Ephes. 1.orders of holy Angels. Some following this reading, Six and six wings were to one, think that each one had twelve, but it is illi sex, & sex alteri, as was said before. Six wings might set forth a six-fold motion upward, downward, backward, forward, to the right hand and to the left, any way were they ready to flie, when God would. If it be demanded, How did they flie, and yet are said to stand? Sol. It is said with two he did flie, because he was alwayes ready so to do. But it is to be understood, that this was but a representation, Heb. 1.the Angels have no wings indeed, but are spirits swifter then any thing that hath wing, sent out for the good of those that are chosen to life at the good pleasure of God.
And they cried one to another holy, holy, holy Lord God of hosts, &c. After Vers. 3.their description here followeth their Hymn sung unto God, their crying to one another was their exciting of one another, and they praise God by his holinesse, one first beginning, and then the second to the third, and he to the fourth, &c. The thrice iterating of the word holy, both intimates the Trinity, and that the Lord only is holy, the authour of all holiness, and most excellent for holiness; and lastly with what intention and perseverance the Angels praise him hereby, that we may imitate them herein, and be inamoured with holiness, as the most excellent of all the Divine Attributes, as without which none shall see God, and abhor from prophanenesse and all filthinesse of sinne, as most debasing and vilifying. The earth is full of thy glory, that is, the glory of thy wisdom and power shineth all over it, in the making, ordering and governing thereof and all things therein. Or the earth is spoken of as full of his glory, according to some in admiration of the sons incarnation; so Jerom, Hieronym.who also saith, that the earth in general is spoken of, as full of his glory, in opposition to the Jews brags, who confined all his glory to the Temple. It is spoken also to shew, that all Nations should be converted, which should be to Gods great Glory. Thus also Calvin, wherefore when a Nation imbraceth the true Faith, it is full of Glory divine, so as none besides is. Whereas this cry is referred by some, as Jerom hath it, to two only Cherubins setting forth the Old and New Testament, because therein the holiness and Glory of God is continually set forth, I leave it to the judicious Reader. There is a like saying to this Numb. 14. 21. All the earth shall be filled with my Glory; so likewise Psal. 70. This angelical Hymm hath been wonderful in the use of it amongst men, if it be true, which is related by Baronius an. 1055. Victor 2. understanding, Baronius.that simony was grown very common in the world, sent an Arch-deacon to assemble a Councel at Lions, called Heldebrand. He therefore understanding that the Arch-bishop was Simoniacal, required him to say, Gloria Patri, Filio, & Spiritu Sancto: then he said the two first, but the third he could by no means bring forth, assaying to do it again and again, whereupon he was so confounded, that he fell at the Arch-deacons feet, and confessed his simony, and being for this degraded and deposed he could say all most freely, which other simoniacal Prelats seeing, they came and confessed theirs also, and voluntarily left their dignities: this and more like it which savour of fabulous legendar hath Cornel. a Lapide.
And the posts of the superliminaries were moved when they cried, and the whole Vers. 4. Hieronym.house was filled with smoke. Jerom understands this as a figure of the destruction of the Temple, when once the earth should be filled with Christs Glory, that is, the faith of him suffering, incarnate rising, and ascending into heaven with his body, and of the burning of the Temple, and blinding the Jews eyes, whereof the smoke filling the Temple was a sign. The Jews will have the fume to be that of incense, and a sign of the presence of the divine Majesty. Cyril and Thomas Aquinas follow Jerom; Calvin will have the moving of the door-posts Calvin.to shew, that this was not the voice of man, but of a greater power, which should alwayes much more, when he speaketh, move our hearts, if the senslesse creature were hereby moved and shook. The smoke filling the Temple, an usual sign of Gods presence; here he saith sets forth both, that man should not pry too far into Gods secrets, and his wrath against the Jews being ready to burn like fire, for in this sense smoking is ascribed to him, Psal. 18. 9. 1 Sam. 11. 9. Apoc. 15. 8. The Septuagint say, The door-posts were lifted up, as if to make more room for the Lord to go out and depart from the Temple. That of Jerom seemeth to me to agree best, neither do I exclude that of Calvin, intimating a curbing of mans curiosity about things not revealed, because filling the house with fume when God appeared, was a thing often used.
And I said, Woe is me, because I am cut off, sith I am a man of polluted lips, Vers. 5. Hieronym.&c. Jerom renders it, Quia tacui, because I held my peace, as being of polluted lips, and so unworthy with the holy Seraphims to praise God, and he speaks of this as the cause thereof, that he dwelt amongst a people of polluted lips, to shew, how dangerous it is to contract pollution to converse amongst corrupt speakers, and yet well did Isaiah acquit himself, that contracted hereby none other corruption but of his lips. The Hebrew word signifieth either to be silent, or to be cut off; but it may rather be taken thus here, because the word is in Niphal foreign, which cannot agree to being silent, and it is plainly the voice of one lamenting his death, as seeing it at hand, because he had seen the Lord, as Manoah sometime did; so Calvin and Musculus. He makes this Calvin.moan, to shew, that when God appears, the most pure are impure, and therefore cannot stand, but must needs be consumed and brought to nothing. But why doth he complain of the pollution of his lips only, was he free from all other pollution? Sol. No, but being a Prophet his lips were of special use to declare Gods holy will to the people; and therefore this smote him most, that they were polluted, whereby God might be most provoked. This troubled him not before, but when the Lord approached; to shew, that when he comes Note. near to any heart, he straitway seeth all vileness in himself, who before thought himself somebody, and his righteousness now seems to him to be nothing. For his dwelling amongst a people of polluted lips, he hereby intimates, that he was no better then one of the common sort; Because I have seen God, that is, the sight of God, who is life, hath shewed me that which before I saw not, viz. my self to be a dead man, so I was before, but was not sensible of it, now I am. So Calvin. Or it may be rendred, I was smitten and made dumb through astonishment at this glorious apparition. How his lips were polluted, Jerom, Cyril and Haimo conjecture, viz. by his taciturnity at the sinne of ƲVzziah, when he presumed to go to the Temple to offer incense: but of this pollution enough before, his dwelling amongst such is spoken of, to intimate corruption thus more contracted, and as that which is excellent, and that which is vile being placed near one another, the vile sheweth more vile, so fared it with the Prophet, when the Lord appeared; he then seemed to himself more polluted then before, and this made him so lamentably to cry out.
Then one of the Seraphims slew unto me, and had in his hand a burning Vers. 6.Coal, &c.
And applying it to my mouth, said, Behold this hath touched thy lips, thou art Vers. 7.purged from thy uncleannesse. In the house of God, where Isaiah saw this Vision, was an Altar, and thereupon fire, which first came down from Heaven, a coal of this fire therefore is taken, to shew, that the purging away of sinfull pollution is from God in Heaven, and that nothing is to be found upon earth that can do it. But seeing Isaiah prophesied before, why was he not prepared to this holy work, by purging at the first, or did the former part of his Prophecie come out of his lips being polluted? Sol. He was doubtless sanctified at the first to this office, but because no sanctification of man here is perfect, hereby is shewed only, that he was now more sanctified, to purchase unto him Calvin.yet more authority amongst the people, and to encourage him the more from thence forward; so Calvin. And whereas a fire-coal is used, he saith, this was but for a sign, as something outward is taken in the Sacrament, but the vertue is wholly in God, which hereby worketh good to us. And the outward thing is used only for mans confirmation, who is not a meer spirit, but a body also, and therefore must receive sanctification from God, not immediatly as the Angels, but by corporeal means. And a fire coal is used to shew, that corruption is so grounded in man, that there needs burning fire to purge it out, for which the Lord puts his into the fiery fornace of adversity to purge out all their drosse as from silver and gold. And to the sign words are used to make a perfect Sacrament, as be the Sacraments of the New Testament: under the Old indeed no words were used, or at the least no form prescribed, as we may see in Circumcision and the Passeover, only there was a word requiring them to be done, and the words of institution were doubtlesse recited every time, according to Gen. 17. and Exod. 13. But to the signs in Baptism and the Lords Supper, words are annexed, without which it is no Sacrament. So here for Isaiah his assurance, it is said, Behold this Coal hath touched thy lips, &c. wherein the cautelousnesse of the Angel is to be noted, to speak so as that nothing in this work of cleansing might be ascribed to him, but all to God. He saith not therefore, I have touched, but this Coal, brought by me only, as Gods Minister, and yet as the Coal was fiery or burning, so he had his name Seraphim from burning, much lesse then is there any vertue sanctificative in any man minister, when he gives the bread, or washeth with water, but in God only. He makes the sign effectual to that end for which he gives it, and eludes no faithfull person with an empty sign, neither shall the wicked finde it such, when they shall another day be judged for not discerning the Lords body. Jerom in stead of carbo, a burning coal, hath it lapillum, a stone, a carbuncle, Hieronym.which shews like a burning Coal, with many of which the Altar was beset about. But the word here used doth not signifie any precious stone, but carbo, and why else should he take it with tongs? Yet some stand for a Carbuncle, which is the most precious of all stones, yet not an earthly but heavenly, because things in Heaven were here represented, and so although an earthly Carbuncle is without heat, although it be put into a most hot burning fire, yet the heavenly may be the burning Coals of the Altar there. If it had been a burning Coal made of wood, it would have burnt the Prophets lips, and so made him in stead of speaking better, to lisp. But who knoweth not that here was nothing really done, but in a figure? Isaiah was thus made a Preacher of the Gospel, because inaugurated to his office by a fire-coal, as the Apostles to theirs by Cloven Tongues of fire. And as they before timerous, after this grew couragious and free to speak without all fear, so he, as the next words declare, where he saith, Send me] The Seraphims taking of the Coal with tongs, shewed timerousness in Gods Ministers at the first, in going about the preaching of the Word, which hath a purging quality, as fire, but when this fiery coal of the Word hath once touched their lips, that is, they have by the spirit been made to enter upon the work, all fearfulnesse vanisheth, and courage not troubled at any presence of Kings and councels, is put on. Jer. 1. 9. The lips of Jeremy are otherwise touched by Gods finger, the Lord proceeds not alwayes alike, but sometime one way, then another, as he pleaseth.
Afterwards I heard the voice of the Lord, saying, Whom shall I send, and who Vers. 8.shall go for us, &c. Hebr. And I heard, and so the vulgar Latine without the word (postea) in Marlorat. The Lord makes not this enquiry, as if he knew not, but to shew that he is not a vulgar, but choice man, whom he sendeth, a very sanctified and special instrument of the spirit, so that if any of the vulgar sort takes upon him this office, or any having a blemish contrary to Levit. 21. 18. he is censured as running before he is sent, Jer. 23. 21. He that is sent hath his lips touched to speak wisely as the word of God, which the illiterate now adayes cannot, because they cannot interpret it for want of skill in the tongues. Who shall go for us? this is spoken in the Plural to intimate more persons in the Deity, and it is said [for us] to shew that a Prophet must not go for himself, or seek his own ends, but for God. This enquiry also intimates it to be an hard task in regard of the hatred and enmity of men, which the Prophet incurs. Yet Isaiah being now purged from his sins, is nothing afraid to set upon it, and the assurance of this makes any man couragious, For the righteous is bold as a Lion, but such as are still in their sins timerous and fearful, for which it is necessary that a Preacher should live clear from sin.
Jerom notes, That he saith, Whom shall I send, and commands not Isaiah to Hieronym.go, so that, will he, nill he, he must go, because he loves a willing minde, if he doth but intimate his pleasure a preparing to do it with all readiness. The Jesuite draws this to the Praefectus of any religious order, but absurdly, unlesse he will make a god of him. Neither was it arrogancy in him to offer, but confidence that he was purged. Moses being bidden refused, yet not out of obstinacy, but because he was not yet confirmed, neither heard he, This coal hath touched thy lips, for they were not touched thus by all the learning of Aegypt which he had. The Hebrews say, that Isaiah thought he should go to speak comfort to the people, and therefore he was so forward, and when he saw the contrary being bidden afterwards to cry, he did not forthwith cry, but said first, What shall I cry? and Jeremy being bidden to offer the cup of Gods wrath to all adversary Nations to drink and be drunken and fall, doth it willingly, but when he was bidden to offer it to Jerusalem, being displeased hereat, he cried out, Lord, thou hast deceived me. But this is over-curious, and too derogatory to the holy Prophets, yet they were men, and as Elias subject to like passions.
Go and say to this people, hearing ye shall hear, but not understand, &c. The Vers. 9.Prophet having offered himself, is now bidden to go about a most unpleasant and harsh service, so that he had need to be so prepared to it as he was: for what more grievous to a Prophet, then to prophesie to make his hearers worse, not only in regard of the hurt thus done to them, but of the scandall to others, enemies of all goodness, who are hereupon ready to disgrace prophesying as being the cause of making a people worse, as the wicked have lately objected against often preaching in our reformed Churches. No servant of God must therefore be dismayed or discouraged at this, that his labours in the work of God succeed no better, but looking at his sovereign who implies him, go on constantly and declare his will, exhort and rebuke with all freeness. But if this be the effect of prophesying or preaching, because he saith,
Make the heart of this people fat or obstinate, lest they should be converted, Doth Vers. 10.the Lord well in sending out Prophets amongst those, in whom such dreadfull effects are wrought? Ans. He doth well because it is not through any default in his sending, but their own corruption; prophesying is as the giving of the Law, which is good and holy, a light and direction, better then the sweetest Rom. 7. Psal. 19.meat or greatest treasure, yet through the corruption of mans heart causing all manner of sin and death, as good meat to an evil stomack, and treasure to a riotour. 2. Amongst the wicked, whose hearts are made obstinate, some few are hereby stricken and made penitent. 3. In Gods sending mercy, shineth to aggravate the damnation of the wicked, seeing he vouchsafes them means, and so they are without excuse. 4. He thus judgeth them spiritually with stupidity and blindeness, and incapability of light, as they are well worthy for the abuse of that, which they formerly had, being bred and brought up alwayes where the light was, and peculiarly chosen to walk in it, and obliged by singular blessings above other peoples. Jerom renders it, Blinde the heart of this people, taking it as a prayer of the Prophet, and the former words, By hearing Hieron.hear but understand not, &c. As if God had given it in charge to Isaiah to say thus, whereupon he makes a great Question, How this can be justified, to forbid that, for want of doing which they shall be destroyed, or for the Prophet to pray for it? And he answers, That thus God would have it come for a time to the Jews for a greater good to the Gentiles, who were very many Nations, but the Nation of the Jews only one, and accordingly Isaiah prayeth, because the conversion and salvation of innumerable peoples, which could not without this judgement falling upon the Jews have been, is brought to passe to Gods greater glory, one people only being but for a time suspended from this benefit, and yet not all neither, for a remnant of Apostles and Ministers of the Gospel were enlightened and made lights to the rest of the world, and the time shall come, when a deliverer shall come out of Zion, to turn away iniquity Rom. 11.from Jacob, and so all Israel shall be saved. And thus he also understands the prayer of David, cited Rom. 11. 10. Let their eyes be darkened, and bow down their backs alwayes. And that in John, They could not believe, because the holy Ghost spake thus by the Prophet Isaiah, and whom he will he hath mercy upon, and whom he will he hardeneth. Thus he, following the Hebrew foreignletter, wherein the word is imperative, but the Septuagint render it according to the true meaning, Hearing ye shall hear but not understand, taking the imperative for the future, an Enallage usual amongst the Hebrews, and this is also confirmed Act. 28. 26. where the Septuagints translation is followed. And thus here is no cause of such a Question, it being not here commanded unto them not to understand or perceive, but prophesied, that they should do thus through their own corruption, as one that wilfully shuts his eyes against the light, and through Gods just judgement following hereupon, so that they could now do no otherwise, being denied the grace whereby to be made capable of the light to be enlightened hereby. And whereas he makes this a prayer of the Prophet against them, Make blinde their eyes, or their heart fat, it is plainly the saying of the Lord to the Prophet; and it is likewise nothing but a command to Isaiah to prophecy, that their heart should be made fat by means of him, and such as he was in those times, and afterwards by Christ and his Apostles, they first winking with their eyes through their own malice against them, and so being blinded, then left by God, as was said before, and so becoming irrecoverably blinde to their destruction. In all which no fault can be laid upon God, although sometime he be spoken of as blinding and hardening, for it is not so spoken properly, but because he enlighteneth not, neither mollisieth the hearts of such, who harden themselves, and then they cannot but persist in blindeness, see upon Rom. 9.
And I said, how long (Lord) and he said, whilst the Cities are wasted without Vers. 11.inhabitant, &c. That is, saith Jerom, how long shall they be thus blinded? for Isaiah was sollicitous for his people, although he were set to denounce this heavy Judgement against them, and therefore enquires anxiously, How long? But the Lord tels him, till the Cities of Judah be wasted by Titus and Vespasian, so that no inhabitants be left, but the countrey be made desolate, if any houses remain, there being none left to dwell in them. Because the Lord knew that as long as any were left living in that whole Land, they would not cease from their wickedness.
Ʋntill there be a tithe, and a returning, and it be cut down as an Holm-tree, and Vers. 13.an Oak; in the removall whereof there is a subsistence, so in this there shall be an holy seed, a subsistence. Jerom, Yet there shall be in it a decimation, and again it Hieronym.shall become a prey as a terebinth or an Oak, which hath cast her fruits, there shall be an holy seed, which shall stand in her; That is, when the people shall be carried far off into Captivity, and they shall be multiplied in the midst of the earth, as was said vers. 12. all this multiplication shall not reach to above the tenth part of that which they were before; and again, fifty years after, when Adrian the Emperour shall come, he shall make the Land utterly desolate, forbidding all Jews to inhabit there any more, but such as shall believe in Christ, that is, the Apostles and others lead by them shall be an holy seed established to continue and multiply. Calvin by the tithe understands ten Kings to come Calvin.after this Prophecie before that Judaea should go into desolation, Jotham, Ahaz, Hezekiah, Manasses, Ammon, Josiah, Joachaz, Jehoiachim, Jehoiachin, Zedekiah, in whose time it was made desolate; yet it may be understood, saith he, of the tenth part of the people remaining, ten of a hundred, or a hundred of a thousand. But what comfort is in this, after returning to speak of cutting down again? Vatablus and Calvin answer, the cutting down shall be but as of a Tree, which when it casts the fruits and leaves in Autumn, yet it springs again in the rising of the year; which declares, that although it lookt as a a dead Tree, yet it had substance and life in it all the while, how ever it appeared not. And in the Nation of the Jews this subsistence was an holy seed, a little company of faithful persons in all ages, till the conversion of the Nation shall be to the faith of Christ. But before they suffered not only by destruction and desolation, but were carried afar off, viz. to Babylon, according to v. 12. Besides the two expositions before-going touching the tithe, that shall be, another is brought by some thus, there shall be a carrying away of the ten Tribes. 4. The tenth part of the Jews shall be converted to Christ, which shall be an holy seed, as the tithe of the Land of old was holy to the Lord. 5. Destruction shall come ten times upon them. 1. By Salmanasar. 2. By Sennacherib. 3. By Esar-haddon. 4. By Pharaoh Necho. 5. By Nebuchadnezzar. 6. By Nebuzaradan. 7. By Antiochus Epiphanes. 8. By Pompey. 9. By Titus. 10. By Adrian. And the holy seed is by some understood not only of the Apostles and other believers, but primarily of Christ, who is, as it were, their foundation or stock in whom they stand; so Theodot. Erit semen sanctum columna fundationis ejus.